Historical-ecological approach to the vegetation of a coastline site in southern Brittany since the Napoleonic cadastre of 1837 using ancient uses and micro-toponyms

Résumé fourni par la source

This work examine the dynamics of present-day vegetation in relation to past human activities using data provided by a land register dating from the early 19th century. The study of Napoleonic cadastre and their registers enables the interpretation of uses and dynamics of plant communities over the last 150 years. Micro-toponymy, land value, agricultural uses, shapes of plots and stone walls allow the analysis of past vegetation and comparison with the present-day landscape. This study is being carried out on a coastline village of Esquibien in the southern Finistère (Brittany, France). Such a multi-disciplinary approach, using a historical ecology investigation, makes it possible to evaluate the possible heritage value linked to the natural character with the presence of coastal biodiversity and cultural value linked to past activities. The stable character of the vegetation or the dynamic evolution towards other communities can be analysed. This approach makes it possible to assess past management of actual abandoned land, the primary and secondary dynamics of plant communities and the natural dynamic potential of the vegetation landscape. These are essential elements for the setting of priorities and the application of management measures in natural environments. Actual coastal heathlands are former mowing and grazing areas, old cultivated fields form dense scrubs, and the storage and burning of seaweed has influenced the dynamics of coastal grasslands. The naturalness of actual vegetation correlates with the nature of past uses.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.